➡ Atmosphere
An atmosphere is made of the
layers of gases surrounding a
planet or other celestial body.
• Composition:
• Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1%
other gases.
• Nitrogen (N2): It is the most plentiful gas in the air. It is one of the primary
nutrients critical for the survival of all living organisms.
• Oxygen (O2): Humans and animals take oxygen from the air as they breathe.
Green plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis. In this way oxygen content
in the air remains constant.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2): It is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse
gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
• Troposphere:
• Earth’s troposphere extends from Earth’s surface to, on average, about 13
kilometers (8 miles) in height, with its height lower at Earth’s poles (8 km) and
higher at the equator(18 km).
• The temperature in the troposphere also decreases with height.
• On top of this layer is what is referred to as tropopause (separates
Troposphere and Stratosphere).
• It is the densest atmospheric layer, compressed by the weight of the rest of the
atmosphere above it.
• Most of Earth’s weather happens here, and almost all clouds that are
generated by weather are found here.
• Stratosphere:
• Located between approximately 12 and 50 kilometers above Earth’s surface,
the stratosphere is perhaps best known as home to Earth’s ozone layer.
• In this region, the temperature increases with height. Heat is produced in the
process of the formation of Ozone, and this heat is responsible for temperature
increase.
• It is nearly cloud- and weather-free, but polar stratospheric clouds (occur
mainly at high latitudes during the winter) are sometimes present in its lowest,
coldest altitudes.
• It’s also the highest part of the atmosphere that jet planes can reach.
• Stratopause - separates stratosphere and mesosphere.
• Mesosphere:
• Located between about 50 and 80 kilometers above Earth’s surface, the
mesosphere gets progressively colder with altitude.
• The top of this layer is the coldest place found within the Earth system, with an
average temperature of about minus 85 °C (-120 °F).
• The very scarce water vapor present at the top of the mesosphere forms
noctilucent clouds, the highest clouds in Earth’s atmosphere.
• Most meteors burn up in this atmospheric layer. Sounding rockets and
rocket-powered aircraft can reach the mesosphere.
• The transition boundary which separates the mesosphere from the
stratosphere is called the stratopause.
• Thermosphere:
• It is located between about 80 and 700 kilometers above Earth’s surface, whose lowest
part contains the ionosphere.
• Hottest layer of atmosphere.
• In this layer, temperatures increase with altitude due to the very low density of molecules
found here. It is both cloud- and water-vapor-free.
• The aurora borealis (Northern lights) and aurora australis (Southern lights) are sometimes
seen here.
• The International Space Station (ISS) orbits in the thermosphere.
• Ionosphere:
• It is not a distinct layer as the others mentioned above. Instead, the ionosphere overlaps
the mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
• It’s a very active part of the atmosphere, and it grows and shrinks depending on the
energy it absorbs from the sun.
• It is an electrically conducting region capable of reflecting radio signals back to Earth.
• Exosphere:
• It is located between about 700 and 10,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface,
the exosphere is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere and, at its top, merges
with the solar wind.
• Molecules found here are of extremely low density, so this layer doesn’t behave
like a gas, and particles here escape into space.
• Most Earth satellites orbit in this layer.
• Significance:
• Protection from Harmful Radiations: The atmosphere protects life on Earth by
shielding it from incoming ultraviolet (UV) radiation, keeping the planet warm through
insulation, and preventing extremes between day and night temperatures.
• Weather and climate: The atmosphere play a crucial role in determining weather
and climate patterns, including temperature, precipitation, and wind. These patterns
have a significant impact on ecosystems, agriculture, and human activities.
• Regulates the Earth's Temperature: The atmosphere helps regulate the Earth's
temperature by trapping heat from the sun and preventing it from escaping into
space. This process, known as the greenhouse effect, helps keep the planet warm
enough to support life.
• A Major Role in the Water Cycle: The atmosphere helps regulate the Earth's water
cycle by transporting water vapor from the oceans to the land, where it falls as
precipitation.
• The Earth's atmosphere heats up primarily through long-wave terrestrial radiation, where the Earth's
surface, after absorbing short-wave solar radiation, re-emits heat as long-wave infrared radiation,
which is then absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming it.
• Terrestrial Radiation: The Earth's surface absorbs incoming solar radiation (short-wave) and then
re-radiates this energy as heat in the form of long-wave infrared radiation.
• Greenhouse Gases: Atmospheric gases, particularly greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, water
vapor, and methane, absorb this long-wave radiation.
• Trapping Heat: These greenhouse gases trap the heat within the atmosphere, preventing it from
escaping into space, leading to a warming effect.
• Conduction, Convection and Advection:
Besides radiation, the atmosphere is also heated by conduction (heat transfer through contact),
convection (heat transfer through the movement of fluids), and advection (horizontal movement of air).
• Human Activity: Human activities such as burning fossil fuels have increased the concentration of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to enhanced trapping of heat and contributing to global
warming.
👉 Insolation refers to the incoming solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, and
it's a crucial factor in determining global climate and weather patterns.
Factors Affecting Insolation:
Latitude: Locations closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and thus higher
insolation than those near the poles.
Season: The Earth's tilt on its axis causes seasonal variations in insolation, leading to
different temperatures and weather patterns throughout the year.
Transparency of the Atmosphere: Clouds, dust, and other atmospheric particles can
absorb or reflect solar radiation, reducing the amount of insolation that reaches the
surface.
Albedo: The reflectivity of a surface (albedo) affects how much solar radiation is reflected
back into space, influencing the amount of insolation absorbed.
Units of Measurement: Insolation is often measured in watts per square meter (W/m²) or
kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m²).
→ Water in the atmosphere exists in three states: gas, liquid, and solid. It plays a vital role
in weather patterns and climate change.
How water enters the atmosphere
Evaporation: Heat from the sun causes water to change from a liquid to a gas. This
happens from oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water.
Transpiration: Plants release water vapor into the air.
- Humidity : water vapour present in the atmosphere.
- How water leaves the atmosphere
Condensation: When air cools, water vapor changes back into liquid. This can happen
when air reaches its dew point temperature.
Precipitation: When water falls from the sky as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
- Measuring water in the air
Absolute humidity: The actual amount of water vapor in the air, measured in grams per
cubic meter.
Relative humidity: The percentage of water vapor in the air compared to its maximum
capacity at a given temperature.
Dew point temperature: The temperature at which air is saturated with water vapor.
Dew, fog, mist, frost, and clouds are all forms of condensation, where water vapor in
the atmosphere changes into liquid water or ice, with dew forming on surfaces, fog
and mist being near-ground clouds, frost being ice crystals, and clouds forming at
various altitudes.
Dew: Forms when water vapor condenses on cold surfaces, like grass or leaves,
resulting in tiny water droplets.
Fog: A cloud that forms near the ground, reducing visibility.
Mist: Similar to fog but with less dense water droplets, allowing for greater visibility
than fog.
Frost: Forms when water vapor freezes directly into ice crystals on surfaces, typically
when temperatures are below freezing.
Clouds: Visible masses of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the
atmosphere, forming at various altitudes.
🌩🌨 Clouds are broadly classified into four main types based on their altitude and
appearance: cirrus, cumulus, stratus, and nimbus, with various subtypes within each
category.
→ Cirrus: These are high-altitude clouds, often appearing as thin, wispy, feathery
streaks or patches.
→ Cumulus: These are puffy, white clouds with flat bases, often described as looking
like cotton balls.
→ Stratus: These are low-lying, sheet-like clouds that cover a large area of the sky,
sometimes appearing as a gray, featureless layer.
→ Nimbus: This term, meaning "rain," is used to describe clouds associated with
precipitation, such as nimbostratus (a dark, gray rain cloud) or cumulonimbus (a
thundercloud).
🌧 Types of Rainfall
→ Convectional Rainfall:
This type occurs when the Earth's surface heats up, causing warm, moist air to rise and
cool, leading to condensation and precipitation.
→ Orographic (or Relief) Rainfall:
This type happens when moist air is forced to rise over a mountain or other geographical
barrier, causing it to cool and condense, resulting in precipitation on the windward side of
the mountain.
→ Frontal (or Cyclonic) Rainfall:
This type occurs when two different air masses meet, with the warmer, lighter air rising
over the colder, denser air, leading to condensation and precipitation.
Dew
